Video disc having an aspect ratio information and video disc player having an aspect ratio converting function

ABSTRACT

Image information is reproduced in respectively correspondence to monitors of different aspect ratios as in the NTSC system or HDTV system adaptive type. The image information recorded on a video disc is reproduced. An ID signal held in the video disc is detected. The aspect ratio of the image information to be generated is designated. Only when the aspect ratio indicated by the detected ID signal differs from the designated aspect ratio, the reproduced image information is converted into the image information of the designated aspect ratio. A standardized image signal is produced on the basis of the converted image information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a video disc and video discplayer and, more particularly, to a video disc having an aspect ratioinformation and videodisc player having a function of converting aspectratio.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] An HD video signal in the HDTV (High Definition TeleVision)system is recorded onto a recording medium such as an optical type videodisc or the like and is reproduced therefrom. As literatures regardingsuch a recording/reproducing method, there are Japanese Patent KokaiNos. 63-245082, 1-280980, and the like. It is desirable that the HDvideo signal reproduced by the above method is displayed as an image bya monitor such as a CRT or the like having an aspect ratio (the ratio ofthe frame width to the fame height in display) of 16:9 corresponding tothe HDTV system. The monitors having the aspect ratio of 16:9 arenowadays being widespread and the HD video signal cannot cope with thecase where the user intends to display the image by a monitor having anaspect ratio of 4:3 corresponding to the existing NTSC system.

[0005] Such an HDTV monitor cannot also cope with the case where therecording signal is reproduced from a video disc to record the existingNTSC video signal and its image is displayed by the monitor having theaspect ratio of 16:9.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention is made in consideration of the aboveproblems and it is an object of the invention to provide a video discand a video disc player which can reproduce respective video signals incorrespondence to monitors having different aspect ratios such asmonitors corresponding to the NTSC system and HDTV system.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a video disc on which image information has digitally beenrecorded by a predetermined format having data blocks to enclose atleast image data in a program area, wherein the video disc ischaracterized by having an ID (identification) signal indicative of anaspect ratio of the image information.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an information recording method of a video disc, whereby imageinformation is recorded by a predetermined format having a data block toenclose at least image data in a program area of the video disc, whereinthe recording method is characterized in that an ID signal indicative ofan aspect ratio of the image information is held in the video disc.

[0009] A video disc player of a further aspect of the present inventioncomprises: reproducing means for reproducing image information recordedon the above-mentioned video disc; detecting means for detecting an IDsignal held in the video disc; designating means for designating anaspect ratio of image information to be generated; and image informationprocessing means for converting the image information reproduced by thereproducing means into the image information of the aspect ratiodesignated by the designating means only in the case where the ID signaldetected by the detecting means differs from the aspect ratio designatedby the designating means, and for producing an image signal having apredetermined format for system on the basis of the converted imageinformation.

[0010] According to the video disc of the invention, the recorded IDsignal indicates the aspect ratio of the image information.

[0011] According to the information recording method of the video discof the invention, in addition to the image information which is recordedonto the video disc, its aspect ratio information is also held in thevideo disc.

[0012] According to the video disc player of the invention, the IDsignal indicative of the aspect ratio is detected from the video discand, only in the case where the aspect ratio indicated by the detectedID signal differs from the designated aspect ratio, the reproduced imageinformation is converted into the image information of the designatedaspect ratio.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a video disc playeraccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an image data processingcircuit in FIG. 1; and

[0015]FIG. 3 is a state table for explaining the operation of the videodisc player in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] An embodiment of the present invention will be described indetail hereinbelow with reference to the drawings.

[0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a video disc playeraccording to an embodiment of the invention.

[0018] In the diagram, reference numeral 1 denotes a video disc in whichimage information of the NTSC or HDTV system has digitally been recordedby a predetermined format having a data block which can store at leastimage data in a program area as in, for example, a CD-ROM system. Whatis called TOC (Table Of Contents) information has been recorded in alead-in area on the video disc 1. Such TOC information is a maincharacteristic portion of the video disc in the embodiment and is formedso as to include ID (identification) data indicating whether therecorded image data is of the NTSC system or the HDTV system. While thevideo disc 1 is rotated by a spindle motor 2, the recorded informationis read out by a pickup 3.

[0019] The pickup 3 supplies the read-out recorded information as aread-signal to an RF amplifier 4. The RF amplifier 4 amplifies thesupplied read-signal and sends the amplified signal to a demodulatingcircuit 5. The demodulating circuit 5 sequentially demodulates theoutput read-signal of the RF amplifier 4 into the data and supplies thedemodulated data to a data separating circuit 6. The data separatingcircuit 6 supplies the image data in the demodulated data to an imagedata memory 7 and supplies the ID data to an ID data memory 8.

[0020] The image data memory 7 has a capacity such that a pixel datagroup to form an image of the aspect ratio of 4:3 according to the NTSCsystem and a pixel data group to form an image of the aspect ratio of16:9 according to the HDTV system can be stored every frame. Output datafrom the image data memory 7 is sent to an image data processing circuit9. The image data processing circuit 9 executes an aspect ratioconversion or the like, which will be explained hereinlater. An outputimage signal of the processor 9 is supplied to a monitor such as a CRTor the like (not shown).

[0021] The ID data memory 8 holds the ID data from the data separatingcircuit 6 and gives the ID data to a CPU 10.

[0022] In accordance with an output signal of a key sensing circuit 11to sense the key operation on a front panel of such a video disc playeror the key operation by a remote controller and with the data held inthe ID data memory 8, the CPU 10 supplies a clock switching signal to asystem clock generating circuit 12 and also supplies a data processingswitching signal to the image data processing circuit 9. An outputsignal of the key sensing circuit 11 includes a signal indicative of theaspect ratio information designated by the user. The system clockgenerating circuit 12 generates each timing signal to decide a dataprocessing rate of each of the demodulating circuit 5, data separatingcircuit 6, and image data memory 7 and switches the frequency of eachtiming signal in accordance with the clock switching signal from the CPU10.

[0023] A specific construction of the image data processing circuit 9will now be described.

[0024]FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of such an image dataprocessing circuit and the portions similar to those in FIG. 1 aredesignated by the same reference numerals.

[0025] In the diagram, the output data of the image data memory 7 issupplied to an input terminal of a switching circuit 21. The switchingcircuit 21 selectively transmits the data which is supplied to the inputterminal to either one of the input terminal of a switching circuit 22and the input terminal of a switching circuit 23 in accordance with adata processing switching signal C0 from the CPU 10. The switchingcircuit 22 selects and transmits the data which is supplied to the inputterminal to either one of an HDTV signal producing circuit 24 and adecimation circuit 25 in accordance with a data processing switchingsignal C1 from the CPU 10. The switching circuit 23 selects andtransmits the data which is supplied to the input terminal to either oneof an NTSC signal producing circuit 26 and an oversampling circuit 27 inaccordance with the data processing switching signal C1 from the CPU 10.

[0026] The HDTV signal producing circuit 24 adds various kinds of syncsignals and the like to the image data of the HDTV system and producesthe video signal of the HDTV system and generates it.

[0027] The decimation circuit 25 comprises, for example, horizontal andvertical decimation filters and generates the image data at apredetermined sampling rate lower than that of the input signal. Theoutput image data of the decimation circuit 25 is supplied to a memorycircuit 28 for converting the aspect ratio. The memory circuit 28 oncewrites the image data from the decimation circuit 25 into its memoryarea and subsequently reads out the written image data and supplies tothe NTSC signal producing circuit 26 on the basis of the NTSC system.The image data of the aspect ratio of 16:9 can be converted into theimage data of the aspect ratio of 4:3 by the decimation circuit 25 andthe aspect ratio converting memory circuit 28.

[0028] That is, pixel data amounts in the horizontal and verticaldirections of a frame of image in the HDTV system which is supplied tothe decimation circuit 25 are larger than in the NTSC system. Thedecimation circuit 25 executes so-called a data thinning-out process inthe vertical direction such that the image of the aspect ratio of 4:3which is obtained by forming non-picture portions (black patterns or thelike) at the upper and lower positions of a laterally long image of theaspect ratio of 16:9 in, for example, so-called a full-frame mode issampled in the vertical direction by the number of scanning lines of theNTSC system. Even in the horizontal direction, the data in thehorizontal direction is thinned out such as to sample the image by thenumber of effective samples per one line of the NTSC system. The datawhich is thinned out is sequentially once stored into the memory circuit28 for converting the aspect ratio. Those data is read out on the basisof the NTSC system together with the image data of the upper and lowernon-picture portions which have previously been stored, so that it isconverted into the image data of the aspect ratio of 4:3. According tothis mode, although the original image of the aspect ratio of 16:9 canbe displayed as a whole, since the non-picture portions are added at theupper and lower positions and have been matched with the aspect ratio of4:3, a reduced image as a whole is derived.

[0029] The conversion of the aspect ratio is not limited to the abovefull-frame mode but there are other various modes. For example, thereare various kinds of modes such as side cutting mode for cutting out theaspect component of 4:3 from the image of the aspect ratio of 16:9, acompression full-frame mode, and a zooming mode. It is sufficient toproperly select and apply the mode that is optimum to the system fromthose modes.

[0030] The NTSC signal producing circuit 26 produces a standardizedvideo signal of the NTSC system by forming predetermined luminancesignal and chrominance signal and various kinds of sync signalsaccording to the image data of the NTSC system and generates the videosignal.

[0031] The oversampling circuit 27 comprises, for instance, horizontaland vertical interpolation filters and generates image data at apredetermined sampling rate higher than that of the input data. Theoutput image data of the oversampling circuit 27 is supplied to a memorycircuit 29 for converting the aspect ratio. The memory circuit 29 oncewrites the image signal from the oversampling circuit 27 into its memoryarea and reads out the written image signal and supplies to the HDTVsignal producing circuit 24 on the basis of the HDTV system. The imagedata of the aspect ratio of 4:3 is converted into the image data of theaspect ratio of 16:9 by the oversampling circuit 27 and the memorycircuit 29.

[0032] That is, pixel data amounts in both of the horizontal andvertical directions of a frame of image in the NTSC system which issupplied to the oversampling circuit 27 are smaller than in the HDTVsystem. What is called a data interpolation in the vertical direction isexecuted by the oversampling circuit 27 in a manner such that the imageof the aspect ratio of 16:9 which is obtained by forming the non-pictureportions (black patterns or the like) at the right and left positions ofthe image of the aspect ratio of 4:3 in, for example, so-called afull-frame mode is oversampled in the vertical direction by the numberof scanning lines of the HDTV system. In the horizontal direction aswell, a data interpolation in the horizontal direction is also similarlyexecuted so as to oversample the image by the number of effectivesamples per line of the HDTV system. Those interpolated data issequentially once stored into the memory circuit 29 and is subsequentlyread out on the basis of the HDTV system together with the image data inthe right and left non-picture portions which has previously beenstored, thereby accomplishing the conversion into the image data of theaspect ratio of 16:9. According to this mode, although the wholeoriginal image of the aspect ratio of 4:3 can be displayed, thenon-picture portions are added to the right and left sides and the imageis matched with that of the aspect ratio of 4:3, so that the image whichwas reduced as a whole is derived.

[0033] In a manner similar to the conversion of the aspect ratio from16:9 to 4:3, the conversion of the aspect ratio in this instance is notlimited to the foregoing full-frame mode but any other various modes canbe also applied.

[0034] The operation of the video disc player will now be described indetail with reference to a state table in FIG. 3.

[0035] First, the TOC information is read out from the lead-in areaimmediately after the reproduction of the video disc 1 was started. TheID data in the TOC information is held in the ID data memory 8.

[0036] In the case where the ID data indicating that the image datarecorded on the video disc 1 is of the NTSC system was given from the IDdata memory 8 to the CPU 10, when an image output command for displayingby the NTSC system is generated by an output signal (hereinafter,referred to as a key sense signal) of the key sensing circuit 11, theCPU 10 sets the data processing switching signal C0 to the logical value“0” and also sets the data processing switching signal C1 to the logicalvalue “0” so as to transmit the read-out image data in a state of theNTSC system, that is, so as not to convert the processing content of theimage data. Since each of the switching circuits 21, 22, and 23 sets theoutput destination of the input data to the other output terminal Y bythe data processing switching signals, the output image data from theimage data memory 7 is directly supplied to the NTSC signal producingcircuit 26.

[0037] In this case, on the other hand, when the image output commandfor displaying by the HDTV system is generated by the key sense signal,the CPU 10 sets the data processing switching signal C0 to the logicalvalue “0” and also sets the data processing switching signal C1 to thelogical value “1” so as to convert the read-out image data of the NTSCsystem into the data of the HDTV system. The switching circuit 21 setsthe output destination of the input data to the other output terminal Yby the data processing switching signal C0 of the logical value “0”. Theswitching circuit 23 sets the output destination of the input data toone output terminal X by the data processing switching signal C1 of thelogical value “1”. The output image data from the image data memory 7,therefore, is supplied to the HDTV signal producing circuit 24 throughthe oversampling circuit 27 and the memory circuit 29 for conversion ofthe aspect ratio.

[0038] In the case where the ID data indicating that the image idearecorded on the video disc 1 is of the HDTV system was given from the IDdata memory 8 to the CPU 10, when an image output command for displayingby the NTSC system is generated by the key sense signal, the CPU 10 setsthe data processing switching signal C0 into the logical value “1” andsets the data processing switching signal C1 into the logical value “1”so as to convert the read-out image data into the data of the NTSCsystem. Each of the switching circuits 21, 22, and 23 sets the outputdestination of the input data into one output terminal X by the dataprocessing switching signals, so that the output image data from theimage data memory 7 is supplied to the NTSC signal producing circuit 26through the decimation circuit 25 and the memory circuit 28 forconversion of the aspect ratio.

[0039] In this case, on the other hand, when the image output commandfor displaying by the HDTV system is generated by the key sense signal,the CPU 10 sets the data processing switching signal C0 into the logicalvalue “1” and sets the data processing switching signal C1 into thelogical value “0” so as to transmit the readout image data in a state ofthe HDTV system, namely, so as not to convert the processing content ofthe image data. The switching circuit 21 sets the output destination ofthe input data into one output terminal X by the data processingswitching signal C0 of the logical value “1”. The switching circuit 22sets the output destination of the input data into the other outputterminal Y by the data processing switching signal C1 of the logicalvalue “0”. The output image data from the image data memory 7 istherefore directly supplied to the HDTV signal producing circuit 24.

[0040] According to the video disc and its player of the embodiment, theID signal indicating whether the recorded image data is of the NTSCsystem or the HDTV system is recorded in the lead-in area of the videodisc as a part of the TOC information. The ID signal is read out at thestart of the reproduction. The aspect ratio of the reproduction imagedata is converted in accordance with the system indicated by the IDsignal and the system indicated by the key sense signal. It is,therefore, possible to cope with the aspect ratio of the monitor whichis provided by a user irrespective of the kind of monitor connected tothe video output terminal.

[0041] In the embodiment which has been described above as an example,the ID signal indicates whether the recorded image data is of the NTSCsystem or the HDTV system is recorded in the lead-in area of the videodisc as a part of the TOC information and the ID signal is read out atthe start of the reproduction. The method of obtaining such IDinformation, however, is not limited to the above method but there arevarious kinds of methods. For example, it is also possible to constructin a manner such that a hole or a groove indicative of predetermined IDinformation is formed on, for instance, the side surface of the disccasing and such a hole or groove is detected by a disc casing switchsensing circuit 13 (FIG. 1), thereby obtaining such ID information. Itis, further, also possible to time-divisionally multiplex the ID signalto the image data or to record the ID signal into a control data portionin a predetermined data block upon recording of the image informationonto the disc.

[0042] Although above explanation has been made on the assumption thatthe image data of the aspect ratio of 4:3 is the data of the NTSCsystem, it is also possible to use the image data of the PAL system orthe SECAM system or to use a common format of CCIR601. The invention isnot limited to the construction such that the aspect ratio is designatedby the key sense signal but also includes a construction such that inthe initial operation of the player, the aspect ratio as what is calleda default value is designated.

[0043] According to the video disc and the information recording methodof the present invention as described in detail above, the video disccarries the ID signal indicative of the aspect ratio of the imageinformation. According to the video disc player of the presentinvention, the ID signal indicative of the aspect ratio is detected fromthe video disc. Only when the aspect ratio indicated by the detected IDsignal differs from the designated aspect ratio, the reproduced imageinformation is converted into the image information of the designatedaspect ratio. It is, therefore, possible to respectively reproduce incorrespondence to the monitors of different aspect ratios as in themonitor of the adaptive type of the NTSC system or the HDTV system.

[0044] By applying the disc and the video disc player according to thepresent invention, there is no need to publish the same software (imageinformation) by two kinds of video discs (for example, the disc for theNTSC system and the disc for the HDTV system).

What is claimed is:
 1. A video disc in which image information hasdigitally been recorded by a predetermined format having a data block tostore at least image data in a program area, wherein the disc holds anidentification signal indicative of an aspect ratio of said imageinformation.
 2. A disc according to claim 1, wherein said identificationsignal has been recorded in a lead-in area of the video disc.
 3. A discaccording to claim 1, wherein said identification signal has beenrecorded in a video disc casing.
 4. A disc according to claim 1, whereinsaid identification signal has time-divisionally been multiplexed to theimage data.
 5. A recording method of recording image information by apredetermined format having a data block to store at least image data ina program area of a video disc, wherein an identification signalindicative of an aspect ratio of the image information is held in saidvideo disc.
 6. A method according to claim 5, wherein saididentification signal is recorded in a lead-in area of the video disc.7. A method according to claim 5, wherein said identification signal isrecorded on a video disc casing.
 8. A method according to claim 5,wherein said identification signal is time-divisionally multiplexed tothe image data and is recorded.
 9. A video disc player having an aspectratio converting function for reading out the information held in avideo disc according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or a video disc onwhich the information has been recorded by a method according to any oneof claims 5 to 8, comprising: reproducing means for reproducing theimage information recorded on the video disc; detecting means fordetecting the identification signal held in the video disc; designatingmeans for designating an aspect ratio of the image information to begenerated; and image information processing means for converting theimage information reproduced by said reproducing means into the imageinformation of the aspect ratio designated by said designating meansonly in the case where the aspect ratio indicated by the identificationsignal detected by said detecting means differs from the aspect ratiodesignated by said designating means, thereby forming an image signal onthe basis of the converted image information.
 10. A player according toclaim 9, wherein said image information processing means comprises: adecimation filter corresponding to the horizontal and verticaldirections of the image for generating data at a predetermined samplingrate lower than that of the input data; and an interpolating filtercorresponding to the horizontal and vertical directions of the imagewhich is generated at a predetermined sampling rate higher than that ofthe input data, and wherein in the case where the aspect ratio by saiddetecting means differs from the aspect ratio by said designating means,the image information reproduced by said reproducing means is suppliedto either one of said decimation filter and said interpolation filter.